FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT ANAHEIM DUCKS - PAGE 5

(Reuters) - Anaheim Ducks play-maker Corey Perry has been slapped with a four-game suspension, without pay, for an illegal hit against Minnesota Wild, the National Hockey League (NHL) said on Wednesday. Perry put a late check on Minnesota's Jason Zucker during the second period on Tuesday, earning himself a major penalty for interference and game misconduct. "Perry delivered a late, illegal check that injured Minnesota forward Jason Zucker," Rob Blake, the NHL's Department of Player Safety, explained in a video.

The Sports Xchange Ducks D Souray out for season after surgery Anaheim Ducks defenseman Sheldon Souray underwent surgery on his right wrist Friday and will not play this season, the team announced. The injury, which was suffered last summer, has kept Souray off the ice this season. Dr. Steve Shin of the Kerlan-Jobe Clinic relieved arthritic symptoms related to his ligament tear. "This is a difficult situation for Sheldon and a tough loss for the team," Ducks vice president/general mangaer Bob Murray said in a statement.

The Sports Xchange EditorsNote: adds details Ducks deal Penner to Caps Left winger Dustin Penner is headed to the Washington Capitals in a deal with the Anaheim Ducks. The Ducks will receive a fourth-round draft pick in return, TSN reported. That pick was obtained on Sept. 29 by the Capitals from Anaheim in a trade for center Mathieu Perreault. Penner's one-year, $2 million contract will expire at the end of the season and he will become an unrestricted free agent in July.

X Games carnage A fast course, fading light, a little wind and one gnarly jump wreaked havoc on the men's and women's snowboarder X races on Sunday, sending three riders to the hospital on the final day of the Winter X Games. Two-time skier X champion Karin Huttary was taken to the hospital for hip and knee injuries. Lar Lewen had to be helped off the mountain to a hospital, where he was being evaluated for head trauma. Juha Haukkala also was taken to the hospital for a head injury.

When the Chicago Blackhawks kick off a stretch of 14 home games out of their next 17 contests Friday night against the Anaheim Ducks, they will do so without winger Daniel Carcillo. The veteran suffered an upper-body injury during the Hawks' 4-3 shootout victory over the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday night and Carcillo didn't practice Thursday and was not on the ice for Friday's morning skate at the United Center. Coach Joel Quenneville said the injury was not serious but Carcillo would not play against the Ducks.

The Blackhawks are in the Western Conference finals for the first time since 1995. That much we know. Whom they face depends on Thursday night's Game 7 between the Detroit Red Wings and Anaheim Ducks. So whom should fans be rooting for? Why the Hawks want Anaheim The Hawks won 3-of-4 against the Ducks during the regular season. The Hawks would have home-ice advantage in the best-of-seven series. Anaheim likely would be travel-weary after flying to Detroit after hosting Tuesday night's Game 6, back home after Game 7 in Detroit and then to Chicago for Game 1 this weekend.

The Sports Xchange By Forrest Lee, The Sports Xchange Ducks 5, Stars 2 ANAHEIM -- Ryan Getzlaf had a goal and two assists as the Anaheim Ducks recorded a 5-2 victory over the Dallas Stars before an announced crowd of 15,165 at Honda Center on Wednesday night. Getzlaf scored midway through the third period, giving him a team-high 13 goals and 30 assists. Recently acquired right wing Radek Dvorak, who played last season with the Stars, Teemu Selanne and Kyle Palmieri also scored goals for the Ducks (25-7-5)

SportsDirect Inc. Preview: Predators at Ducks After seeing one six-game winning streak come to an end in their last outing, the Anaheim Ducks will look to prevent another from suffering the same fate on Wednesday. Returning to the safe haven of the Honda Center, the Ducks will attempt to keep their home winning streak intact when they host the Nashville Predators. Anaheim has won six consecutive home outings following a 5-0 loss to Vancouver on Jan. 25. The Ducks will look to rebound following their 5-2 setback to Pacific Division rival Los Angeles on Monday.

The Sports Xchange EditorsNote: updated through top 15 picks Oilers take Russian Yakupov No. 1 overall The Edmonton Oilers took Nail Yakupov, a Russian forward from the Sarnia Sting, as the No. 1 pick in the NHL Draft Friday at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh. Yakupov scored 170 points in 107 games in two seasons for the Sting. He has been compared to fellow Russian Pavel Bure for his speed, shot and offensive abilities. Bure, a right winger, played 12 years in the NHL. Yakupov was not considered to be the consensus No. 1 pick, even though he was ranked No. 1 by NHL Central Scouting for several months.